Boys: So you want to play volleyball in college...

We have a wealth of information and resources to help you navigate the collegiate recruiting process. To start, check through the information below to get a better idea of what this process will entail, and whenever you would like to have a conversation about the next step to take on your journey to collegiate volleyball contact Kris at kris@division1vbc.com to set up a meeting!

Recruiting Timeline

9th Grade

Start planning now! Take the right courses and earn the best grades you can.

Ask your counselor for a list of your high school’s NCAA core courses to make sure you take the right classes. Or, find your high school’s list of NCAA core courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org/courselist.

If you fall behind on courses, don’t take shortcuts to catch up. Ask your counselor for help with finding approved courses or programs you can take.

Begin contacting college coaches whose programs you would be interested in being a part of. Use the Division1 email template to get started!

As a reminder, college coaches cannot contact you directly until September 1st of your Junior year and therefore you will not receive a personalized response to your email from coaches. You may receive emails regarding a schools camps.

11th Grade

Check with your counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate on time.

Take the ACT or SAT, and make sure it is sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center by using code 9999.

Continue contacting college coaches of programs that interest you. Use the Division1 email template to get ideas.

Schedule unofficial visits to schools that interest you and continue to be proactive in recruiting yourself to a variety of schools.

At the end of the year, ask your counselor to upload your official transcript to your NCAA Eligibility Center Profile.

12th Grade

Take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary, and make sure it is sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center by using code 9999.

Take final unofficial & official visits.

Verbally commit, and if applicable, sign your National Letter of Intent (only players who are offered athletic scholarships will sign an NLI).

Request your final amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center after April 1.

After you graduate, ask your counselor to upload your final official transcript with proof of graduation.

Recruitment Resources

NCAA Eligibility Profile

You need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school.

Strong email communication is a very important part of the recruitment process and growth of all Division1 athletes. We expect all Division1 athletes to always communicate with a high standard of professionalism.

As Chicagoland club, we have the luxury of having multiple college coaches from the Midwest attending our regional tournaments. However, we have created the Divison1 VBC video exchange to help college coaches from farther away gain access to video to watch any D1 athletes they may be interested in recruiting.

Notes on Paid Recruiting Services

There are several services out there that offer paid support/guidance with the recruiting process. Many players will begin by creating a free online profile with them, where after their sales reps will contact you to upgrade to a paid membership (upwards of $800-$2500). The most misleading piece of info we believe they provide is that their service is ESSENTIAL for getting recruited, and that having a membership with them gives you credibility with the college coaches that you wouldn’t have otherwise. We find this to be simply untrue. Many coaches we know say they prefer to hear from the PLAYER DIRECTLY rather than from a paid third party. In response to many questions we field about these paid recruiting services, we provide the following:

We are fortunate in our club to have a direct link to many current and former collegiate coaches who are in a great position to give you an accurate recommendation on where you fit athletically at the college-level. Further, our coaches know many of the college coaches personally, so their referrals will come highly regarded.

Men’s collegiate volleyball is a relatively small community (compared to most other sports), so navigating your options is very do-able with some effort!

Begin by developing a list of volleyball programs you want to pursue, talk with your club coaches about your choices and narrow them down to a list with three categories: “reach” schools (or “dream” schools that you are unlikely to get in or be accepted on the team), “realistic” schools (you have a good chance academically and athletically), and “safety” schools (ones you feel very confident you can get in and be accepted to their team). Email those coaches directly with all the necessary info (see the above links for more on this), and follow up with those coaches periodically to ask whether they have interest in you. Added value can also come from having your club coaches or directors reach out to your top schools of interest and make recommendations for you. This is really all you need to get the ball rolling in the right direction!